


5.Bruised

by NatalieRyan



Series: 100 whump drabble challenge Tumblr fics by Natalie Ryan [2]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: 100 whump drabble challenge, Bruises, Cuddling, Gen, Jack guilt, Panic Attacks, Platonic Bedsharing, Whump, bruised, prompt number 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29547786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatalieRyan/pseuds/NatalieRyan
Summary: Prompt number 5 from the 100 whump drabble challenge on Tumblr.Prompted by starryhc. For Jack
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: 100 whump drabble challenge Tumblr fics by Natalie Ryan [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2170815
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15





	5.Bruised

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starrylizard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrylizard/gifts).



> This one was prompted by Starry. Thank you.  
> The story behind the movie set Jack was working on as a stunt is inspired by a thing I read once that was cut from the scenario for 1x01 where between Lake Como and present day in the pilot ep, Jack was working as a stunt double at a movie set. I couldn't not include that when I saw this prompt.   
> Originally posted on Tumblr.

Jack let his kid take his fill by looking him up and down. Jack knew that he looked a little bit worse for wear, but that was normal in their line of work. This time however, it was from something else. And judging by the way Mac was eyeing him, he didn't manage to hide it well. 

( _ Next time, I'm asking for Boze and his special make up _ ). 

It had been two months since they saw each other last. And Jack didn't know how he went two months without contact. But it was what Mac asked of him. Some time to rest and reflect. And Jack had so many objections to that... but he swallowed them and agreed. What else there was to be done? His kid needed time, and contrary to popular opinion, Jack wasn't going to push and hover. He knew when to back down when he wasn't needed. 

The ugly doubts reared their heads as soon as they touched down in the States, though. Why was Mac asking for some time to himself? He never did before, why now? Mac was also never been shot within an inch of his life and his girlfriend was killed in the same night so Jack reasoned with that. He knew about people and having to start over when they had a brush with death and some decisions they made in the aftermath of their near-death experience. Jack just learned to deal with it. As always. When Mac called him out of the blue at 1am and asked if he could come over, Jack was ecstatic to say in the least. He didn't even stop to think of the reason. Maybe Mac wasn't still coming back from his reflection phase and it was just something he needed Jack to do. 

Whatever it was, in hindsight he should have realized that Mac would notice. And he did. 

"Jack. What happened?" 

"Eh, it's nothing. Just... perks of the job is all." 

Jack tried for a smile, but it fell flat. 

"What job? Jack, were you in the field without me?" 

The question slammed like a freight train into Jack and he had to actually grab something to steady himself, which turned out to be Mac's forearm. 

"Whoa, Jack, easy there." 

The grip he had on Mac was strong and through the fog in his head Jack was thinking how it'd leave a bruise, the kid bruised so easily he was always having these small bruises from banging himself on doorknobs and table edges. But now these bruises were going to be from Jack, because Jack wasn't able to keep himself steady another way, and that was when Mac appeared in his line of sight and Jack realized he wasn't breathing right. 

"Jack, you've got to breathe. Just, follow my lead, okay?" 

Jack tried to nod, but he couldn't, he was so far gone in the panic that all he could do was squeeze Mac's arm harder. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, the phantom pain at the back of his head, the nasty concussion it left in its wake. 

He watched as Mac winced when he took a deep breath and suddenly Jack wasn't in his apartment, but at the edge of the lake, performing CPR on his partner,  _ oh God, it's so cold _ ... 

...

When Jack next came to, he was lying on his couch. He had no idea how he got there, but he realized Mac's thigh was under his head and he jumped with a startle. Then promptly fell back to the softness of his partner's body because his body seized in pain. The actor on that set that insisted on doing his own stunts did a number on him. His bruises had bruises. 

And judging by the way he stilled and didn't breathe for a few seconds, and Mac's gasp, Mac definitely noticed. 

"I'm going to assume that that did not come from a mission." 

"You know I'm off rota until you are back to the field, hoss. I ain't goin' out there unless it's with you. We had a deal, remember?" 

"I'm sorry. Sorry I shut you out." 

"It's okay. You needed time. I get it."

"I shouldn't have." 

"No hard feelings."

"I feel like you are hurt because I wasn't there to stop you from doing whatever reckless thing you did. Jack." 

"I was a stunt double on a movie set. Thank God tonight was the final scene and now I can rest." 

Jack groaned and any other time he'd be embarrassed that he buried his head in Mac's thigh to hide, but he was tired, hurting and if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, he had a panic attack, which in his books was definitely something to warrant that kind of behavior. 

Besides, Mac could always kick him if he didn't want that.

"Where are you hurt?" Mac's small voice asked and Jack wanted to deflect, but he could detect the hint of worry in the kid's voice so he decided to be honest. 

"Where am I not hurt is the question you should be asking. That little punk ass kid that insisted on filming his own stunts that we worked with did a number on me. I think I even have a bruise on my butt, dude." 

Mac chuckled above him and Jack fist pumped on the inside. He was carefully maneuvered into a sitting position next and - yep, that was definitely a big bruise on his butt. 

"Let me see?" 

Mac was asking him to see the bruises, that much was clear. And his voice brooked no arguments so Jack took off his t-shirt and realized just how stiff his shoulders were. 

_ God, I am getting old _ . 

Jack let Mac take his fill, he didn't have to see the way he looked to know he suffered a beating. He felt every bruise and every pull on the skin. If he was being honest... it kinda felt like he got what he deserved after what he let happen to Mac and Nikki in Italy. Finding Mac floating in lake Como was one of his worst nightmares come true. 

Cold fingers touched his skin and he recoiled, before he realized it was Mac and then he forced himself to relax. Mac needed to make sure that he was okay, and Jack was going to let him. 

"Jesus, Jack, this is a beating, not a stunt." 

"You should see the other guy." 

"Jack." 

"It's okay, Mac. I've had worse." 

"It doesn't make this hurt any less. C'mon, let's get you to bed. I'll get you some ice." 

Jack wanted to protest, how he was going to take care of himself on his own, but Mac needed to see to it that Jack was going to be okay and Jack was going to let him. 

"Okay." 

Mac, true to his word, settled him into bed and brought ice packs that he MacGyvered into sticking around so as to hold them in the hurt places. Jack groaned as the cold from the ice seeped into the bruises, but after a while it became a background sensation and he relaxed. 

"Thanks, Mac." 

"Don't mention it." 

They sat in silence for a few moments but Jack needed to know. 

"Mac, why are you here? Not that I don't want you here, I'm more than happy to have you here."

"I realized that I was hurting myself and you by keeping a distance. I was caught in the anger and grief about what happened with Nikki and me... being shot. On your watch. I realized that you are pretty much beating yourself up over what happened and decided to stop some of that train of thought. 

"What I didn't anticipate is you literally beating yourself up. Now that's some quality punishment for things you are not guilty of." 

Jack didn't dare look up at Mac, it was enough that Mac knew what Jack was doing. 

Talk about self destruction... him and Mac had a lot in common in that department.

"It wasn't your fault. I should have said that before." 

"It's-"

"God help me if you say "it's okay". It's not, Jack. I pushed you away. It was as if I was telling you that you pulled the trigger." 

Jack winced.  _ Was this kid going to expose all his inner thoughts tonight? _

"Sorry, that didn't come out right. Listen, Jack, I'm sorry. It wasn't okay that I pushed you away. It shouldn't be okay that you accept the guilt so easily. You were hurt, too. Remember?" 

Jack nodded. 

"I'm sorry, too." 

They were both dealing with a loss of a friend (lover in Mac's case) and what happened in Italy in different ways. But it looked like they weren't going to do it each by themselves after tonight. 

"Can I stay?" 

Jack was brought out of his musings and looked at Mac. Really looked at him. The kid looked pale, his cheeks gaunt and he was clutching his left shoulder. 

"Huh?" 

"Can I stay? I'm... My shoulder is hurting and I have some of my things here so... well I should probably text Bozer and tell him I'm-" 

"Of course you can stay." 

"Great, uh... let me just go and grab my phone, I left it on the table. And I'll take these now."

Jack shuddered as Mac removed the ice packs, now melted. 

"I'll get you a shirt." 

A moment later Mac left a shirt on the bed as he went to presumably text Bozer. And Jack smiled when he saw it was one of his old Army t-shirts, loose and comfy. Jack changed into a loose pair of sweatpants and got under the covers, careful not to press too much on the worst bruises. He was going to be sore in the morning. 

Mac re-entered Jack's room and Jack could tell he wanted to say something, but was kinda frozen in the middle of the room.

He raised the covers and tapped on the other half of the bed. 

"C'mere, hoss. Let's get some sleep." 

"I can... I can sleep in the guest room? I could roll over and hurt you, you know how I can get." 

"Nonsense. Come in here." 

"Okay." 

"I think we both need this, so it's a win-win situation." 

Mac smiled and as he settled in, he gravitated towards Jack who pulled him to his side. 

"I'm so sorry I worried you earlier." Jack could feel the tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. 

"It's okay, Jack. I'm just glad I was around." 

Jack nodded in agreement and closed his eyes. They could deal with everything else in the morning. He was wiped. 

"Good night, Mac." 

"Good night, Jack." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
